Rotor brake arrangement



April 11, 1961 Filed Jan. 16, 1958 FLY-1 1' .5:

R. G. ALTHERR 2,979,164

ROTOR BRAKE ARRANGEMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 11, 1961 R. G. ALTHERR 2,979,164

ROTOR BRAKE ARRANGEMENT Filed Jan. 16, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 g I I 1/ 24 3Q 34 r l i #119 F I i =2 22 I 3 20/ L. lifw z 68 f W 4 1 K 7 fllillfll li l Z? 77, 3 74 (\,&\ //Q a 'r' S INV EN TOR.

61.44% W Q/M W flaw M 49 A ril 11, 1961 R. G. ALTHERR 2,979,164

ROTOR BRAKE ARRANGEMENT Filed Jan. 16, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Maw April 11, 1961 Filed Jan. 16, 1958 R. G- ALTHERR ROTOR BRAKE ARRANGEMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

United States Patent ROTOR BRAKE ARRANGEMENT Russell G. Altherr, Hazel Crest, 11]., assignor to American teel Foundries, Chicago, 111., a corporation of New ersey Filed Jan. 16, 1958, Ser. No. 709,356

7 9 Claims. (Cl. 188-59) This invention relates to brake arrangements and more particularly to a package rotor brake arrangement for a vehicle.

The invention comprehends a self-contained rotor brake arrangement adapted for application to or removal from a vehicle or other device as an integral unit or package.

Although the conventional manner of applying brake arrangements to vehicles is to mount them in such a way as will permit friction means to engage some portion of a wheel and axle assembly, such as a wheel or an auxiliary rotatable friction member carried by the wheel and axle assembly, it is a primary object of this inven- 'tion to provide a rotor brake arrangement wherein the rotatable friction member can be secured to, for rotation with, either the wheel and axle assembly or some other rotating portion of the vehicle, such as the drive shaft assembly,

Another important object of this invention is to provide a self-contained package brake arrangement, all of the elements of which, except for the rotatable friction member, can be applied to or removed from the vehicle as an integral unit.

Another general object of this invention is to provide a rotor brake arrangement wherein a pair of friction shoe carrying brake levers are actuated by a wedge element, carried by an operating'lever for engagement with rollers carried by the brake levers.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an arrangement wherein the wedge element is a floating member, free from positive connection to the lever by which it is carried, whereby the wedge element is free for self-aligning, to maintain proper alignment between the wedge element and brake lever rollers and thereby insure the application of equal braking pressures to Opposite friction surfaces of the rotor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple illustrated in Figures 14;

Figures 7-9 correspond to Figures 1, 2, and 4, respectively, but illustrate a modified form of the invention;

Figure 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a linkage arrangement adapted for use with the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 7-9, and

Figure 11 is. a fragmentary side elevational view, with portions of the structure shown in vertical section, of an override assembly adapted for use in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 7-9.

. It.will be understood that certain elements have been intentionally eliminated from certain views, for the purpose of clarity, where they are believed to be shown to better advantage in other views.

. Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Figures 1 through 4 for better understanding of the invention, it will be seen that the brake. arrangement illustrated therein includes a rotatable friction member such as a rotor or disk 20 presenting axially spaced opposed friction surfaces 22 and which may be mounted on for rotation with either a wheel and axle assembly or a drive shaft assembly of the vehicle to which the brake is applied. The structural details of the mounting arrangement have not been illustrated in detail as they. do not form an essential feature of the invention.

Deceleration ofthe rotor-is achieved by a pair of brake or friction shoe assemblies 24, engageable with respective friction surface 22.

Brake shoe assemblies 24 may be pivotally connected by pins 26 to corresponding rearward ends of a pair of preferably horizontally disposed dead brake levers 28 any desired manner (not shown) to a frame (not shown) and eflicient method of adjustment whereby compensation 7 for wear on the shoes carried by both brake levers can be. effected by the adjustment of a single screw secured to the wedge orrelated element, without the, necessity of removing any brake element from the vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rotor brake arrangement adapted for actuation by both hydraulic and mechanical linkagemeans, whereby in the event of failure of the hydraulic system the brakes are'actuated by the mechanical linkage system.

A further object of the invention'is to provide a rotor brake arrangement wherein both hydraulic and mechanical means can be used in cooperationfwith each other to effect the application of a parking brake.

A more specific object of theinvention is topfovide 9 These and other objects of the invention will "be appan, i

ofthe vehicle to which the brake is applied. The mounting of the brake frame 32 to the vehicle frame may be accomplished by means of nut and bolt assembly (not shown) extending through slots or apertures34, located at the four corners of the frame.

Pivotallymounted on the forward ends of the respective .brake levers by preferably vertically extending parallel pins 38 are a pair of rollers 36.

.Actuation of the levers is achieved by means of a floating wedge or wedge element, indicated generally at 40,- which presents forwardly converging, preferably vertical surfaces 42 engageable with rollers 36 of the respecv tive brake levers. Wedge 40 is bifurcated, as seen in Figure 5, and has a pairv of arms 44, defining anopening,

46 therebetween. Asbest seen in Figure 3, wedge 40 is carried within a slot or. opening 48, presented on the forward side of a 5 preferably vertically extending dead operating lever 50,- fulcrumed at its lower end by pin 52 to brake frame 32. Pin 52'may be retained in position by. a set screw assembly, indicated generally at 53. It will be seen in Figure 2 that the pivotal connection between frame 32 and lever 50 aifords sufficient clearance on either side of the lever to permit limited axial or lateral movement of the lever 1 on pin 52 relative to the frame. Referring again to'Figure 3, it will be seen i wedge is disposed within slot 48 and lever 50 with arms 44 of the wedge disposed on opposite sides of the lever, so that the lever is also disposed within opening 46 of the wedge. Thus, it is. apparent that wedge 40, although in interlocking relationship with the lever, is entirely a free floating element, having no positive connection to lever 50 or to any other element of the brake mechanism. Although its rearward movement is limited by the forward surface 78 of the slot in lever 50 and its forward movement is limited by rollers 36, the wedge is free for limited movement, both in horizontal and vertical planes relative to lever 50. Because of this free floating condition, the Wedge is more or less self-aligning, relative to the rollers 36; thus, line contact between the rollers and the wedge is achieved, and also the brak ing pressures applied to the respective levers is self-equalizing, even though the wear on the separate brake shoes may be uneven.

A single or pair of tension springs 54, located between the brake levers and preferably located above and below the wedge and having their opposite corresponding ends secured to opposite ends of the respective pins 38, provide a release means to maintain the forward ends of the brake levers and their related brake shoes away from the friction surfaces of the rotor when the brake is in a non-applied or inoperative position.

if desired, an additional release spring mechanism, indicated generally at 56,. may be provided in association with the operating lever 50. This mechanism as best seen in Figure 3, comprises aplunger 58, having one end disposed to extend through aperture 60 of brake frame 32 for engagement with the lever and a coil compression spring 62 compressed between the brake frame and a lip 64 presented by the other end of the plunger. The opposite end of the plunger is preferably formed with a loop portion 66 which is disposed to extend into a recess 68 presented by the lever and wherein it is engaged by a pin 70 formed on the lever and extending through the loop portion.

To facilitate adjustment of both brake levers and compensate for the wear of the friction elements carried thereby, wedge 40 is provided with a set screw 72 and lock nut 74. Screw 72 is disposed to extend through a central aperture 76 of the wedge in threadable engagement therewith and presents an inner end disposed to abut a forward surface 73, presented by slot 48 of operating lever 50. Thus, as the friction elements wear down, the slack in the linkage may be taken up simply by loosening nut 74, turning screw 72 until the wedge is moved forward toward the related brake lever ends the desired distance, and, then tightening nut .74. In this way, both brake levers are adjusted at the same time, and, as the distance between the line of contact or engagement between the wedge and the respective rollers and the fulcrum points of the respective brake levers remains equal, the equality brake pressures applied by the respective friction shoes to the opposite sides of the rotor will be maintained.

Again referring to Figures 1 and 3, it will be seen that the upper end of operating lever 50 is actuated by a preferably horizontally disposed bell crank shaped actuating lever 80, fulcrumed intermediate its ends by pin 82 to tion, as seen in Figure 3, about pivot pin 52. As lever 50 rotates, it urges Wedge 40 toward rollers 36 of the respective brake levers, causing the levers to rotate in opposite directions about their respective pivot pins 30 and move their related brake shoes into engagement with opposite sides of the rotor.

Figures 7-9 illustrate a modified form of the invention, wherein the brake linkage is adapted for actuation by either or both mechanical linkage and hydraulic means. Much of the structure illustrated in Figures 7-9, is similar to that illustrated in Figures 14 and therefore, where practical, the same or similar numerals have been employed to designate elements corresponding to those of the first described embodiment.

Referring first to Figure 7, it will be seen that a pair of brake levers 28, fulcrumed intermediate their ends by pins 30 to a modified brake frame 32a, have at their rearward ends brake shoe assemblies 24, engageable with opposed friction surfaces 22, presented by a rotor 20. At their forward ends brake levers 28 have pivotally connected thereto, by pins 38, a pair of rollers 36 engageable with a floating wedge element 40 which is carried by an operating lever 50, fulcrumed at its lower end by pin 52 to a brake frame 32a.

Lever 50 is actuated by a preferably horizontally disposed vertically offset actuating lever 80a fulcrumed by pin 82a to brake frame 32a.

As best seen in Figure 7, lever 80a is in the nature of a bell crank shaped lever, but is provided with three integral arms 83, 84a, and 85, extending outboardly, inboardly and forwardly respectively, relative to pivot pin 82a. Inboardly extending arm 84a is engageable with boss 88 presented by the upper end of operating lever 50. Forwardly extending arm 85 is provided with a vertically offset portion or lug 92, having a threaded aperture 94, extending therethrough, in which is threadably disposed a set screw 96, having a lock nut 98 thereon. The inboard end of screw 96 is abuttably engageable with the forward end 100 of a preferably horizontal dead power lever 86a fulcrumed intermediate its ends by common pivot pin 82a to brake frame 32a and having at its rearward end, a connection of any type, such as ball joint connection 90, with a preferably mechanically actuated power source, not shown on Figure 7 but illustrated and described in connection with Figure 10. The free end of outboardly extending arm 83 of actuating lever 80a is disposed for abuttable engagement with piston 104 of a power cylinder 106, mounted on brake frame 32a in any desired manner, as by bolts 107.

It is contemplated that under normal operating conditions, actuating lever 80a will be operated by the power cylinder and piston and, in turn, cause operating lever 50 and brake levers 28 to rotate on the respective axes 1 and bringthe friction shoes into engagement with the brake frame 32. Lever 80 is provided with a pair of angularly related, inboardly and rearwardly extending arms 84 and 86, respectively. Arm 84 is disposed for abuttablc engagement with a boss 88, presented by the rear side of the upper end of lever 56, and arm 86 isdisposed for operative connection to a power source (not shown) in any desired manner such as by ball joint connection 96.

la the operation of the device, it will .be understood that as lever 81 is actuated by the power source, it is caused to rotate in a clockwise direction, as seenyin Fig ure 1, about pivot pin 82, with arm 84 engaging operating lever 50 andcausmg itto rotate in a clockwise direcwith the previously mentioned embodiment.

rotor in the same manner as described in connection To return the brake levers to inoperative position, brake release spring assembly 91 is provided and comprises a coil compression spring 93 and a plunger 95 interposed between brake frame 32a and arm 85 of lever 80a.

In order to utilize the power cylinder as the primary power source for lever 80a, adjustment screw 96 is unscrewed and locked in place by nut 98 to provide a gap or space between the inboard end of the screw and the forward end of lever arm 85, when the brake is in applied position. This gap permits the power Cylinder 166 of the hereinafter described hydraulic system to function for normal service applications of the brake,

' while the mechanical system remains unloaded.

Man A amiss override assembly, hereinafter described in greater detail, and "compresses piston 116 of master hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder 118, causing the cylinder to transmit hydraulic or pneumatic pressure fluid through line 120 to power. cylinder 106. As power cylinder 106 is thus energized, piston 104 engages the end of outboardly extending arm. 83 of actuating lever 80a, thereby causing it to'rotate clockwise about pivot 82a and engage vertical lever 50, which in turn rotates about pivot 52 to urge the wedge into engagement withv the brake lever rollers and thereby cause'the brake levers to rotate and move their related friction shoes into engagement with the rotor.

. 'At the same time as foot pedal lever 110 is rotating about 112, it urges a first bell crank lever 122, to which it is pivoted by common pivots 112 and 124, the latter pivot pin also being common to pushrod 11-4, to rotate clockwise about pivot 112.. As lever 122 rotates, it urges a first link 126 to rotate a second bell crank lever 128 about pivot 130'and thereby move a second link 132 to the right, as seen in Figure 10. Link 132 is pivoted to the rearward end of power lever 86a by pivot pin 134 and its movement urges lever 86a to rotate clockwise about pivot 82a. 7 a a.

Aspointed out above, the gap between the inboard end of screw 96 and arm 85 of lever, 80a prevents lever 86a from engaging arm 85 when the hydraulic system is in operation, because as piston 104 urges lever 80a to rotate clockwise-about common pivot 82a, .the forward end of lever 86a chases arm 85 with the result that the actuation of the brakemechanism is achieved solely by hydraulic means. However, in the event of failure of the hydraulic system, lever 80a will be engaged by lever 86a after the lever has rotated enough to close the gap therebetween. After this takes place, lever 80a and operating lever 50 will then be actuated and will operate the brake levers in the same manner as previously described.

Although the hydraulic system is intended as the primary braking power source, for purposes of providing a parking brake it is desired to utilize the mechanical linkage system to actuate and set the braking mechanism, because there is always the possibility of pressure fluid leaking from any hydraulic system and rendering the brake ineffective.

In order to adapt the arrangement for use as a parking brake an override assembly, indicated generally at 186 and illustrated in Figure 7, has been provided. The override assembly comprises the previously mentioned push rod 114, which has one end connected to master cylinder piston 116 and which has at the other end a clevice 138 pivotally connected to foot lever 110 and first bell crank lever 122 by common pivot pin 124. A coil compression spring 140, disposed to surround rod 114 is held on the rod by axially spaced spring plates or retainers 142 and 144, the former being threadably engageable with rod 116 and the latter being slidable on the rod. Spring 140 is pre-loaded by means of adjusting nut 146 with the normal pre-load preferably being equal to maximum normal service operating force on push rod 114 in such a manner that under normal service application of the brake, spring 140 will not deflect.

To apply the brake for parking application, foot pedal 108 is depressed by a foot pressure greater than that required for normal service application of the brake. This greater force will compress spring 140 when movement of the master cylinder push rod 114.stops because of the resistance of the friction shoes as they come into contact with the rotor. At this point, a mechanical linkage, illustrated in Figure 10, will continue to move until the gap between arm 85, of lever a, and lever 86a is closed,

thus, permitting the brake to be held in applied position by the mechanical system. Foot pedal lever 110 [can then be locked in applied position and in desired manner 6 as by means of a dog 148 and rack 150, illustrated in Figure 11.

From the above description, it will be apparent that the invention provides a compact and eflicient rotor brake arrangement adapted for application to a vehicle as a package unit. The brake is adapted to be generally selfaligning, so as to insure the equalization of braking pressures on opposite faces of the rotor at all times, regardless of the degree of wear of the respective braking elements. Additionally, the brake is designed to permit the actuation of the braking mechanism by either hydraulic or mechanical means or both, for purposes of safety or when necessary for use as a parking brake.

It will be understood that in order to maintain the gap or lost motion connection between screw 96 and arm of lever 80a at a constant distance regardless of the wear of the shoes, it is necessary to provide both the hydraulic and mechanical actuation systems with approximately equal mechanical advantages.

1 claim:

1. In a package rotor brake arrangement for a vehicle having a rotatable friction member, the combination of: a brake frame detachably secured to said vehicle adjacent said member; a pair of friction elements engageable with said member; a pair of dead brake levers fulcrumed intermediate theirends to the frame for pivotal movement about parallel aXes and connected at corresponding ends to respective friction elements; rollers pivoted toopposite corresponding ends of the brake levers on axes parallel to said first mentioned axes; anoperating lever having a pivotal connection to the frame accommodating limited axial movement of the operating lever relative to the frame on an axis extending in a direction generally normal to said axes and having a recess therein; a wedge element operatively carried in the recess of said operating lever for operative engagement with the rollers of the respective brake levers, said wedge element having a floatmg interlocking relationship with the operating lever tree of any positive connection therebetween wherein the wedge element has limited free horizontal and vertical movement relative to the operating lever and is self-aligning relative to the brake levers to insure application of equal braking pressures on opposite sides of said friction member.

2. In a brake arrangement for a vehicle having a frame and a rotatable friction member presenting a pair of axially spaced friction surfaces, the combination of:

friction means engageable with respective surfaces; a

pair of dead brake levers fulcrumed to the frame and pivotally connected to respective friction means; a dead operating lever fulcrumed to the frame intermediate the brake levers for rotation in a plane generally normal to the plane of rotation of the brake levers; a wedge element carried by said operating lever operatively connected to respective brake levers, said wedge element having a floating interlocking relationship with the operating lever free of any positive connection therebetween wherein the wedge element has limited free horizontal and vertical movement relative to the operating lever and is self-aligning relative to the brake levers to insure application of equal braking pressures on respective friction surfaces; and means to actuate said operating lever. I

3. A brake arrangement according to claim 2., wherein the operative connection of the wedge element to the brake levers includes roller means carried by the brake levers engageable with respective converging surfaces presented by the wedge element, affording substantially line contact between the brake levers and the wedge element. 7 s I 4. A brake arrangement according to claim 2, and

' including means to adjust the position of the wedge elewith one of the operating lever and Wedge element and abuttably engageable with the other.

5. In a brake arrangement for a device having a pair of rotatable friction surfaces, the combination of: a brake frame carried by the vehicle; friction means engageable with respective friction surfaces; a pair of brake levers fulcrumed to the frame on parallel axes and connectcd to respective friction means; a dead operating lever fulcrumed to the frame on an axis generally normal to said axes; a wedge element carried by the operating lever operatively connected to respective brake levers, said wedge element having a floating interlocking relationship with the operating lever free of any positive connection therebetween wherein the Wedge element has limited free horizontal and vertical movement relative to the operating lever and is self-aligning relative to the brake levers to insure application of equal braking pressures on respective friction surfaces; and means for actuating said operating lever.

6. In a rotor brake arrangement for a vehicle having a rotatable friction member, the combination of: a brake frame detachably mounted on the vehicle; friction means disposed for engagement with said rotatable member; a pair of dead brake levers fulcrumed to the frame about axes normal to the axis of rotation of said rotatable member and connected to respective friction means; a dead operating lever fulcrumed to the frame intermediate said brake levers on an axis parallel to the rotational axis of said rotatable member and being operatively connected to the brake levers; a power cylinder; and a dead cylinder lever fulcrumed to the frame about an axis parallel to the brake lever axes, said cylinder lever being directly connected to the power cylinder and the operating lever.

7. A rotor brake arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the cylinder lever ends are abuttably engageable respectively, with the operating lever and a piston of the power cylinder.

8. A rotor brake arrangement according to claim 7 and including an actuating lever fulcrumed intermediate its ends to the frame on the same pivotal axis as the cylinder lever, and having one end abuttably engageable with said cylinder lever; and means to actuate said actuating lever.

9. A rotor brake arrangement according to claim 8, wherein one of said cylinder and actuating levers includes an axially ofiset portion spaced from but engageable with the other lever upon the rotation of the actuating lever relative to the cylinder levera predetermined distance.

References Cited in the file of patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 343,680 Tribe June 15, 1886 540,829 Fisher June 11, 1895 1,606,045 Sanford Nov. 9, 1926 1,723,140 Dormoy Aug. 6, 1929 1,911,223 Daleo May 30, 1933 2,207,126 La Brie July 9, 1940 2,219,518 Engle et al. Oct. 29, 1940 2,286,517 Tack June 16, 1942 2,365,369 Williams Dec. 19, 1944 2,406,201 Coombes Aug. 20, 1946 2,850,119 Petersen Sept. 2 1958 2,855,074 Casey Oct. 7, 1958 2,911,070 Seelig Nov. 13, 1959 

